Vision

EUFAR facilitates transnational access to a wide range of research infrastructures, particularly targeting scientists in countries where such infrastructures do not exist or are financially inaccessible. Transnational access thus allows more scientists to access the research facility the most suited to their needs and promotes the optimal use of research aircraft in the region. EUFAR through its transnational activity provides full support for the flight hours awarded to a selected research campaign, calibrated and quality-controlled data, and a travel and subsistence allowance to enable participation in both the planning and execution of the flight campaign.

Background

Research aircraft are not available in every EU member or associated state, with the majority of aircraft being operated in Germany, the UK and France. The high cost of a flight campaign remains a serious obstacle for scientists to access aircraft operated by another organisation or in another country different to their own. In the past, this has led to duplicated investments in small and medium size aircraft in operating countries and to the exclusion of researchers from non-operating countries, despite most of the existing aircraft not being used to their full potential. To overcome this challenge, a European integrated approach was essential, which led to the implementation of EUFAR’s transnational access coordination activity in 2004 (under the framework of the EUFAR project in FP6).

ENDURO, the smallest manned research aircraft in the EUFAR fleet, operated by KIT. Photo credit: KIT

Expected Deliverables

The current EUFAR2 project will support about 430 flight hours (38 research campaigns) over the period 2014-2018. A typical award is between 10 and 15 flight hours. If a research campaign requires the aircraft to be flown a long distance from its home location, this is normally achieved by clustering the project with an existing activity already supported by the selected aircraft operator.

Activity Description

Expressions of Interest and project applications can be submitted online in response to the currently-open calls for proposals and eligibility criteria advertised on the website. Submitted projects are peer-reviewed and selected by an independent User Group Selection Panel.